Hospital staff raise alarm, claiming mother shackled while baby in NICU

Hospital staff in north Queensland have raised alarms after an Aboriginal woman was allegedly shackled to a hospital bed while her newborn was in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The incident occurred at Townsville University Hospital following a caesarean section on October 10, according to reports. Queensland Corrective Services confirmed it has initiated an internal review into the case. The woman, who is described as being under correctional custody, was reportedly restrained by her ankle and wrist to the bed while recovering from major surgery. Staff reportedly requested that the restraints be removed so the mother could visit her infant in the NICU without physical limitations, but prison officers declined. Debbie Kilroy, chief executive of Sisters Inside, a non-profit supporting criminalised women, said hospital workers reached out to her organisation last week, expressing distress over the treatment of the mother. She noted that medical professionals had advocated for the removal of the restraints, citing the woman's inability to move freely and her physical discomfort. Kilroy stated that the mother became highly distressed and that her condition worsened visibly over the course of the week. Hospital staff also alleged that prison officers made racist and derogatory comments about the woman, prompting them to prepare a formal complaint against the handling of the situation by corrective services. A representative from Queensland Corrective Services explained that the management of the prisoner during her hospital stay would undergo an internal review. They emphasized that restraints are typically reserved as a last resort for pregnant inmates, only when necessary to ensure public safety. Minister for Corrective Services Laura Gerber acknowledged awareness of the incident and clarified that the woman was not restrained during the actual delivery of the baby. This incident follows efforts by independent Senator Lidia Thorpe, who introduced legislation in federal parliament aimed at banning the shackling of incarcerated women during childbirth and the strip searching of children. However, the proposal faced opposition from both Labor and Coalition members, leading to its defeat. After the bill failed, Kilroy urged state governments to address the issue through local legislation. State Labor MP Jonty Bush recently launched a petition urging the Queensland government to explicitly prohibit the use of restraints such as handcuffs and shackles on women during labour, childbirth, and the immediate postnatal period. He argued that such measures are unjustified and highlighted the absurdity of claims that women in labour pose a flight risk. Bush referenced the United Nations' Bangkok Rules, which stipulate that instruments of restraint should never be applied to women during childbirth or immediately afterward. He called for the state to uphold human rights commitments and work toward ensuring safer birthing conditions within the prison system for these women and their families.